THREE people were yesterday airlifted to hospital after being caught up in an avalanche in the Cairngorms.

The mountaineers were said to be suffering from minor injuries and taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. The avalanche happened shortly before 11.30am in the Coire an t-Sneachda, Northern Constabulary said.

Meanwhile, a 57-year-old man was also rescued by helicopter after falling on Ben Lui in the southern Highlands.

The hill-walker managed to contact Central Scotland Police at around 4.20pm and a Royal Navy rescue helicopter from Prestwick was sent to the scene. The man was taken to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow with head and leg injuries.